Wednesday, January 30, 2013

things had been rolling along nicely over here, until 3 out of 4 of my family members got hit with the sick bug. i got it last, and have been down the past 3 days. i'm feeling better now, but naturally way behind. thank God for well placed hats and sunglasses, which have the power to hide what a hot mess i am right now.

but, that's life. you roll with the punches and follow the detour signs until you get back on track. and, make no mistake about it, i'm supremely grateful that each one of us was down only 3 days. i know it can always be worse.

i'm also grateful to the prayer flag project for posting my finished prayer flag on their site this week. click the picture of my flag below to see the original post on their site where i talk about the meaning behind the flag, and to see other wonderful prayer flags from artists around the world.

detail one

detail two

this week, here's to finding your way back from the detour... and gratitude in all things!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

our prayer flag project is in full swing, and i'm happy to report that all my students really seem excited about it. you can check out the prayer flag project blog here. i intend to send them all our pictures once we finish, so hopefully we will have our own entry soon!

and did you hear? admission to the dallas museum of art is now free. you can even join the museum for free and earn rewards for going! awesomeness...

Share your favorite colorful + happy-inducing images as they happen on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest using the hashtag #coloringmehappy.

each week she will show the pictures on her blog. here's mine from instagram yesterday (you can follow me on instagram @jaeart2) ...a sneak peak of my own prayer flag...

and...last but not least...

i've seen a lot of cool things made with wood pallets lately (my husband wants to build a deck with them!) but this bed takes the cake so far. you can check out the original how-to at a little artsy here.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

hello 2013! last year, i started my blog off by picking a word of the year. that word was "inspire." and, well, i'm good with that being my word of the year again. that being said, i thought i would start off my first post of 2013 with some of the things inspiring action on my part right now.

this is a trial painting i did based on a photo by my friend, dave, at clearer reflections. you can see his original post of the photo here. it was created with probably a good 6-8 layers of paint and then charcoal on 9x12 paper.

as soon as i saw dave's picture, i immediately saw it as a painting. i wasn't sure why or what i was going to do specifically, but i knew there was potential for a lesson using layers of marks to create depth. it isn't as apparent in the picture as it is when you see the actual painting in person, but mission totally accomplished. i'm definitely going to do this with my advanced students. i do think that this first one is entirely too small, so now rolling around in the back of my mind is the idea to do it much, much larger. one day...

and how about some dale chihuly?! almost every art teacher on earth has done a chihuly project of some kind. but that's because his work is so flat out amazing. for christmas, my sweet husband took me to see his massive show at the dallas arboretum. all i can say is wow! right now i am working on a slide show of the works we saw to show my students, but let me just give you a peek...

i told you. wow! not sure what yet, but i definitely feel a chihuly inspired project a-coming.

this idea has been on my mind since i read this post by annie here back in october. yes, my friends, we are going to start this new year off with a mixed media project that sends prayers and positive thoughts out into the universe. stay tuned for more on this one...

i was then reminded of it again with this post here by donna downey. so, this is another idea starting to take shape. are you with me still?

and, for some reason, i feel compelled to tell you that i saved this piece of wrapping paper and this thank you card from my son's first grade teacher.

really not sure where either of these is going yet. but that's ok. that's how it works.

so, happy, happy new year! i hope this year finds you in the midst of people and things that inspire you. and i hope you will share your ideas with others, because i assure you, you will inspire someone else.

here's to inspiration, in all it's forms... and to thinking like an artist!

why julia?

i use the name julia for all my art. it all started back in college as a tribute to my great- grandfather, who left me the money to pay for my art degree. he called me julia.

Welcome to jaeartworks!

i truly hope you find yourself inspired, but please remember that all images and artworks are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed or published without permission of julie hernandez!